Will US Follow Finland’s Trend?: Rising Drug Use among Youth and Women

In the United States, the trend has always been toward more illicit drug abuse by men than women, usually in a ratio of two to one. In drug dependence and treatment statistics both, women generally make up about one-third of the total.

This ratio varies by the drug being discussed. When it comes to needing treatment for marijuana addiction, only about one in four of those being admitted to treatment for marijuana addiction is a woman. But for crack cocaine and prescription drugs, the ratio of women to men is higher. In fact, more women go to treatment for sedatives than men, and for tranquilizers and opiate painkillers, the numbers are close to even.

In Finland, groups of social workers who provide support for young people have noticed rising drug use among youth and women. The Deaconess Institute and the A-Clinic Foundation provide help for those who are aged 16-29. This group overall has seen more incidence of drug abuse with the majority of that increase among the females.

Rising drug use among youth and women indicates a couple of dangerous social trends. One is failing drug education for youth. And the other is the distinct possibility that births of babies who are addicted to the drugs the mother was using while pregnant.

One of the workers with the young people noted that the ratio of young women who were using drugs increased from 25% to 40% in just one year. The report noted that most drug abuse starts with alcohol and marijuana and that the age of initiation is dropping in Finland. In the US in these categories, women seeking treatment remain around one-quarter of the total.

Success Rates Vary But Can Reach 70% at Narconon

Different sources will cite varying success rates for treatment, often between 10% and 20% for those trying to get sober. This means heartbreak for the great majority of people who enter rehab with hopes of breaking free from substance abuse. Those who come to Narconon drug rehabs such as Narconon Georgia find recovery 70% of the time. The reason for this high rate of success is the thorough address to the problems created by addiction. When a person has been abusing substances, they lose their integrity and self-respect. They become dishonest, manipulative and lying to those around them so they can continue to obtain and use drugs. To fully recover from addiction, these points of damage must be reversed.

Each person must break through this dishonesty to be able to live a sober life. As described in many success stories, sobriety can be achieved when a person learns the life skills that are needed to stay sober and then applies them to the life that was destroyed by addiction. Gradually, they learn a new honest way of living. They learn how to repair relationships like those with spouses, parents and children. They put these broken pieces of their lives back together. As they do so, they find that they don’t need drugs any more.

Detoxification is an Essential Part of Recovery

The Narconon New Life Detoxification Program is a sauna-based program that uses nutritional supplements with moderate daily exercise to flush out the residues of these toxic drugs that cling to the fatty tissues of the body. Because these residues tend to bond to fat, they can be hard to get out of the body. This combination activates the body’s ability to release them. As the residues flush out, the recovering addict feels brighter and clearer. Most people achieving this relief also notes that cravings are reduced.

When there is rising drug use among youth and women, there is a way to bring them back to a healthy life. And that is Narconon.